Is a Throw-In to The Face Worth a Red Card?

Be prepared to flinch when you watch the above video from the Women’s Bundesliga in Germany. The thrower is Taoba Kemmy of FFC Turbine Potsdam, the woman in the way is Kerstin Garefreke of FFC Frankfurt. Kemmy felt Garefreke was getting in her face while trying to a throw, so she threw the ball straight at hers. Ouch. Garefreke hit the deck and Kemmy was sent off.

Kemmy’s move definitely isn’t in the Emily Post guide to Etiquette, but she could argue that Garefreke was failing to give her the required room to take a throw-in, according to the FIFA laws of the game:

All opponents must stand no less than 2 m (2 yds) from the point at which the throw-in is taken.

So Garefreke broke a FIFA law, but does that mean Kemmy is allowed to try and break her face?

[video via 101GG]

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Category: Bundesliga